Arturt Humbrams
by STARZHEI
Summary: Not a pairing. When something terrible happens to Kurt, Artie thinks back to every moment he shared with his friend. May be slightly OCC, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Companion pieces in the works for all the other New Directions members.


**Starzhei-Note:**

**- Hey guys and guysettes, Skyler here. This lil' story came to me while swimming the other day and kept nagging at me like that little boy on Shrek Forever After, you know, the "Do the roar!" boy? Yeah, imagine that voice in your ear all night! No thank you! So, I listened to him and typed this out. I debated with him on when to post it, and apparently he decided now was as good a time as any.**

**- For those of you gorgeous peeps that read my other stories 'I Think I Love You' and its companion piece 'I Love You, Too', don't worry (as if you would), those are still active and happening. Keep watch for the next chapters very soon :)**

**- This story is a continuation and will have several companion pieces to go along with it, one for each character, so please make sure to read the others when I post them. **

**- I apologize for any language in this that you may take offense to. Its relevant for the story, so please keep that in mind. Im gay myself, so any offensive language, subject matter and material wasn't intentional at all I promise. Also, I don't own Glee, I just love it unconditionally.**

**- Song used in this chapter is 'All By Myself' by Celine Dion. Don't you think Kurt would kill that song if he were to sing it? Yessir, he would!**

**- Ok, you may proceed to the story now. I should really stop talking here shouldn't I? Wait, don't answer that...**

**- Alert and/or favourite and/or review if you so feel inclined. I'd love you even more if you did, but I already love you loads just for reading, so don't feel pressured to do so. Just enjoying it is all I ask of you.**

"Hi, Artie right?"

Artie turned around to face the high pitch voice who had spoken to him. Artie knew who the boy was, Kurt Hummel. They had the same math class first period since the beginning of this year, freshman year.

Of course, everyone in the school knew who Kurt Hummel was. He was the gay kid. Although, technically he hadn't told anyone he was gay, but come on, you could tell. You could so tell.

The clothes he wore, Artie was pretty sure were female clothes. No don't make pink clothes for guys, right? And jackets with buttons? Guys wore jackets with zippers.

Artie gave the gay boy standing in front of him a once over. Yip, he's wearing a jacket with buttons. Kurt also had his right hand out-stretched towards Artie.

"Ah, only my friends call me that" Artie said, sticking to shake gay boys hand, you know, cause that was friendly.

Artie felt a pang of guilt as he continued to stare at Kurt, absentmindedly wiping his hand that just touched Kurt on his sweater, so he didn't catch the gay.

Kurt's soft baby-face fell at the gesture, but shook his head with his eyes shut before smiling half-heartedly at the boy in the wheelchair.

"Oh, right. Anyway, I just wanted to give you this" Kurt said, pulling out a red envelope and handing it to Artie, "I wrote 'Artie' on the front, Im sorry. What is your real name?"

"Arthur Anthony Abrams" Artie replied, taking the envelope unsurely.

"Triple A, hmm" Kurt laughed lightly, pointing to Arties wheelchair.

Artie looked down at his wheelchair and couldn't help the goofy smile and small laugh that came from that joke. He was always self-conscious about his wheelchair. Kids were mean and popular teens were meaner. He heard the jokes they made about his chair, and him, and it hurt. Kurt's joke was they only one he's heard that didn't sting. He had never heard that one before, but he liked it, it was funny.

The second warning bell rang out and Artie ceased his laughing along with Kurt.

"Well, see you tomorrow Arthur" Kurt said, turning to walk away.

Artie watched as Kurt stopped at the classroom door and peaked out of it, looking both ways slowly. Artie was confused for a second, but remembered that Kurt does that all the time. It must be a gay thing.

When Kurt exited the classroom, Artie flipped the envelope in his hand around to open it. His second period was a meeting with Miss. Pillsbury and she had offered to come to the math class since is was on the second story of the school.

Opening the envelope, Artie pulled out an invitation printed out on cardboard. A birthday invitation. To Kurt's 15th birthday.

Artie smiled at the mention of Karaoke and guitar and band hero. Artie played the electric guitar like a pro, he loved music and secretly, he was a really good singer.

The party sounded cool, not at all what he would have expected a party for Kurt would be like. He had heard from Tina, his crush, that Kurt had a palatial bedroom, and at sleep-overs he would give those attending facials, do their nails and hair, and on occasion, make an outfit entirely from scratch.

Artie slipped the invitation into his bag hanging on the back of his wheelchair as Miss. Pillsbury walked into the room. He smiled at the wary redhead as she pulled gestured for him to follow her.

Artie followed Miss. Pillsbury out and the two made it to disability elevator. No student was permitted to use it without a teacher present.

Speaking of, if he decided to go to Kurt's party, he needed to get one. But what do you get a weird person like Kurt? Artie tried to wrap his head around that idea, but it only seemed to give him a headache.

The party was on Saturday, and it was only Wednesday today, so he had time to think of a present. He had time to think if he would even attend. Truth be told, he was never invited to parties, because people felt weird around him. The only parties he attended were his cousins parties or AV club get-togethers. And those consisted of the club members down in Peter Fulcrum's nasty-ass bedroom playing World of Warcraft and Halo.

-xOx-

On Thursday, Artie was wheeling himself down the corridor heading for the cafeteria when he saw Kurt in the corner of his eye, sticking his head out of Mr. Geary's English class. Artie watched as Kurt strode out of the class with his head helf high and a certain sway in his hips, must be a gay sway, as he headed down the corridor leading to the library.

Artie's eyes widened and he flinched as he saw Kurt's lithe little body being shoved into the row of lockers next to him by Karofsky and Azimio, the two meat-headed bullies of William McKinley High School.

"Out of the way, freak" Azimio spat at Artie as he and his psycho sidekick passed.

Artie quickly wheeled himself aside, not stopping looking at Kurt, who was staggering to pull himself back on his feet.

"Aww, look. Wheels here wants to give fairy-boy a ride on his stick-shift" Karofsky said, kicking the side of Arties wheelchair, Must be a fag like Hummel too."

As the two meatheads laughed boisterously and hi-fived each other before walking off, Arties eyes widened comically serious at Karofsky's words. He was not a fag like Hummel, he just didn't think he deserved to be treated like that.

Sparing one last look at Kurt walking away down the corridor, clutching to his side that had connected to the lockers, Artie reached into his bag and pulled out the red envelope.

Wheeling himself over to the trashcan, Artie sighed down at the invitation in his hand and tossed it in with the rest of the rubbish. If just looking at Kurt with concern and being human got him a verbal insult, he shuddered to think what would happen if he actually spent time with the tortured boy. The gay boy.

-xOx-

Artie laid still in the dumpster he was thrown into 5 minutes ago. It was really the only thing he could do really, being paraplegic and all. So he just laid still until the next victim was thrown in, so they could pull him out, or go get someone strong enough who could.

It was Monday morning, and he was use to his regular dumpster dives. On occasion, the soulless jocks would offer some humanity and leave the chair out, which Artie was grateful for. The chair was expensive and he had already had to replace one this year.

A few minutes later, Artie heard the tell-tale noises of the jocks returning to the scene.

"You're all pathetic. Don't you touch my Burberry coat!" he could faintly hear.

After hearing laughter and a painful sounding thud against the dumpster, a shadow was caste over Artie as a slender figure was hoisted up and thrown in with him and the trash.

Artie soon found it hard to breathe as the discarded human was pressed against him.

"Can't, breathe" he said, tapping on the figure on top of him.

"Oh god, Im so sor-"

Artie looked up and saw Kurt's face hovering inches from his. Artie fought the urge to panic at the proximity their faces were, because, come on, a gay boys face was mere inches away from his. He hadn't even been this close to a girl before, so it was weird for him.

"They threw you in?" Kurt asked disbelievingly.

Artie simply nodded at the boy. Kurt pulled himself up, groaning and looking around in the dumpster. He then bent down and scooted his arms underneath Artie, hoisting him up bridal style.

To say he was shocked was an understatement. Even some of the guys who were bigger than Kurt couldn't lift him like this. And they were straight.

Kurt, still holding Artie in his arms, sat on the edge of the dumpster and spun himself around and paused for a second, surveying the distance from the edge to the ground.

"Maybe you should wrap your arms around my neck, just case" he said softly to Artie.

Artie hesitated for a second, not really wanting to do that. He already felt emasculated being held like a girl in a gay guys arms. Kurt sighed at Arties hesitation but pulled the boy with the glasses in tighter against him.

"Here goes" Kurt said, pressing himself off of the edge of the dumpster.

Artie felt air below him as he realised that Kurt had jumped off of the edge of the dumpster. Absently, he reached up and wrapped his arms around the boy who was helping him.

Artie winced as Kurt let out a yelp as he lost his footing on the concrete, but managed to somehow end up on one knee, semi-breaking the fall.

"Shit. You ok?" Kurt asked, looking down at the boy in his hands.

Artie opened the eyes that he had hadn't known he had shut tight. He nodded to Kurt who was scanning around for something. When Kurt found what he was looking for he stood up, still with Artie in his arms and walked over to the wheelchair.

Kurt placed Artie in his chair and stood up straight, checking out his clothes.

"Ah, thanks" Artie said simply, dusting off his pants.

No one had ever lifted him out of the dumpster like that, and he was thankful. Kurt rubbed his knee and bit down on his lip and Artie felt guilty.

"Hurt yourself getting down on your knees princess?" Puck laughed as he walked passed Artie.

"That was an extra long sentence Puckerman, maybe you do have a brain somewhere underneath all the bullshit in your head!" Kurt retorted simply, glaring at the mohawked boy.

"Don't push it Hummel" Puck growled.

Artie watched Kurt tense up but it was gone as soon as it was there. Kurt breathed then turned to look at Artie.

"Is everything there?" he asked, gesturing at the chair.

"Yeah, thanks again. I know-" Artie began to say to Kurt.

Kurt just grabbed his messenger bag off the ground and turned to walk away. Artie was reminded of everyone who ignored him and he wheeled himself to catch up to Kurt who was almost at the entrance of the school.

"Hey, wait up."

Kurt turned around to look at Artie who was trying to catch up. When Artie pulled up next to Kurt, Kurt turned around and walked with Artie in stride next to him.

"Seriously dude, thank you for what you did back there. Does your knee hurt? You should get it checked out with the nurse" Artie told Kurt.

"She doesn't come until third period" Kurt shrugged, "Its nothing compared to other things. Im just worried about my new Burberry trench coat I got from my aunt for my birthday."

Artie stopped and swallowed guiltily.

"Oh, about that" he started, "Im sorry I couldn't-"

"Handle how fabulous I am?" Kurt finished sourly, fixing his bangs.

They had arrived at Kurt's locker and he turned around to get his books that he needed, checking out his reflexion in the mirror in his locker while doing so.

"No, I couldn't make it. My mom had this thing that I had to go to too" he said lamely.

"You don't need to give me an excuse" Kurt said, shutting his locker hard, "It was my mistake thinking I could befriend a fellow outcast. But I should have known I couldn't be friends with a guy who wears suspenders AND a belt. And Im not even going to start on your sweater vests, because I wont be able to finish."

Kurt turned to walk off after his bitch-fit and Artie was more than taken aback. Kurt wanted to be friends with him? Why? Maybe he was attracted to him? Artie shook his head at the thought.

He was confused at about Kurt's attitude. One second he was rescuing him out of a dumpster and very concerned about him, then the next minute he was an ice-queen with snarky come-backs that cut deep. Artie loved sweater vests!

-xOx-

After school on Friday, Artie was wheeling himself through the corridors to his locker. He had AV club that afternoon. Whistling the tune to 'The Brady Bunch' to himself, Artie stopped at hearing a piano being played.

The melody was entrancing and he couldn't help but follow the sound that was emanating throughout the hallway. Of course the sound was coming from Mr. Ryerson's choir room. Artie rolled his eyes, it could only be that annoying girl Rachel.

Pushing the door open lightly, Artie pecked inside and saw Kurt sitting on the stool, playing the piano like it was second nature to him, swaying along to the sweet sound he was creating, eyes closed shut. Artie had to strain to hear the small shaky voice that was singing.

"_Hard to be sure. Sometimes I feel so insecure, and loves so distant and obscure. Remains the cure" _Kurt sang quietly, almost whispered.

Artie had to admit that he didn't know the song, but the emotion in the music alone was heartbreaking. And Kurt's haunted sounding voice was too. Artie watched as Kurt carried on.

"_All by myself. Don't want to be, all by myself. Anymore. All by myself. Don't want to live, all by myself. Anymore."_

Artie almost gasped as Kurt slammed his fist down on the keys, struggling on the last line that was merely spoken. Kurt was crying, too. Artie watched as the broken looking boy sobbed silently, eyes still shut.

A pain in his chest made Artie clutch his shirt. He wanted more than anything to just go up to Kurt and hug him. To befriend, and let him know he wasn't alone. But Artie couldn't bring himself to do it. So he didn't.

He was upset with himself as he wheeled away, leaving Kurt shattered in the choir room, but he didn't know what to do. His heart told him to go back and help, some way. But his head told him to carry on, go to his locker, then go home.

He smiled to himself, because his mom was making Butter Chicken tonight, his favourite. That would cheer him up, and he could shake the feeling of guilt he had for not talking to Kurt when he so needed someone to talk to right about now.

-xOx-

Artie swiped his hand at the tear that fell down his cheek. Lifting his head to look at the small boy laying motionless in the hospital bed in front of him, Artie reached over and placed his hand over the boys right knee, squeezing gently.

"You're not alone" Artie whispered gently.

Everyone in the room looked at him and gave him a small smile, but Artie couldn't return it. He looked back up at the boys face and repeated himself.

"You're not alone Kurt, you're not alone."


End file.
